


Perseverance

by velveteenvamp



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: F/F, Fluff, SO MUCH FLUFF, helga has a tiny role, i wrote this at 4am and i'm sorry, rhonda and nadine are adorable lesbians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:02:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21681913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velveteenvamp/pseuds/velveteenvamp
Summary: Rhonda has always loved Nadine.
Relationships: Rhonda Wellington Lloyd/Nadine
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	Perseverance

Rhonda and Nadine; two names that were inseparably linked and had been for as long as anyone could remember.

Their friendship had begun back in preschool. Nadine joined the class later than everyone else, her family had just recently moved to Hillwood. Rhonda was fascinated by her from day one. Her unruly hair was fashioned into several braids and she mostly kept to herself, immersing herself in insect-themed picture books instead of the classroom shenanigans. Yet, whenever she did speak, she was soft-spoken and gentle. She was _different_ to the other students, more sophisticated, somehow. 

It was on a warm day when the two had their first notable interaction. The class had been outside listening to a story read by the teacher when a ladybug crawled onto Rhonda's shirt. Rhonda had let out a cacophonic squeal at the sight of the unwelcome beast, but Nadine just calmly cupped her hands out and let the ladybug crawl onto them, smiling with delight. Then she proceeded to extol the positive qualities of the humble ladybug, passion shining in her chocolaty eyes. Though Rhonda remained unconvinced of their virtues, she found Nadine's bravery commendable and her passion inspiring. They were friends ever since.

In retrospect, perhaps that was what made Rhonda fall so hard for Nadine in the first place. She had been interested in fashion from a young age and she recognised the mutual drive in Nadine, even if she didn't really understand insects and Nadine _definitely_ didn't understand fashion. 

Their unlikely friendship bloomed and continued throughout their adolescence and into adulthood. They were still the very best of friends, even despite their occasional ups and downs, hormonal whirlwinds and the inherent busyness of life. Nadine came out of the closet early in college and Rhonda didn't know how to feel about it. Certainly, she didn't _mind_ gay people, but something about it made her stomach knot. In a way, she found herself envying Nadine and simultaneously admiring her courage, yet again. 

Rhonda's love life was a disaster. She wasn't short of suitors by any means, but the few relationships she had went absolutely nowhere. When it came to having sex, she would freeze up and make an excuse as to why she couldn't. The idea of having sex with a man simply _revolted_ her. Rhonda was growing depressed; what the hell was wrong with her? All of her other friends had great relationships and she had heard enough raunchy tales from Helga to last a lifetime and then some. 

And then it hit her, with the grace of a tonne of bricks. Rhonda Wellington Lloyd was a _lesbian_ , with a capital 'L'. _Of course_ she was: why else would she have spent so many nights admiring the female form just to tell herself that it was a 'girl crush'?

"It's about time you came out, Princess," was Helga's response when the day of reckoning eventually came. _Was it really that obvious?_ "So, when are you and Nadine gonna start dating?"

Rhonda turned almost as red as her blouse, but she couldn't deny it. Nor could she deny how the idea of having Nadine as her girlfriend made her knees tremble. "She... doesn't know." came her response, uncharacteristically feeble, defeated, almost.

_Almost_. Rhonda Wellington Lloyd did not give up. She deserved happiness as much as everyone else, damnit. 

The next time they met up, Rhonda inhaled all the courage she had and bluntly asked if Nadine would be her girlfriend ~~\----~~ it was now or never, do or die. She couldn't stand it anymore, cowardice was _not_ becoming of her.

Of course, Nadine said yes.

**Author's Note:**

> I love this pairing so much! I couldn't sleep and just began to write and I couldn't stop myself.


End file.
